Signs of Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) Abuse and Addiction

Dilaudid is a brand name for the powerful drug hydromorphone. It’s a legal opioid when used correctly, which is when it’s prescribed to you for pain and you follow the directions that come with your prescription. While it comes in tablet and liquid forms that need to be taken every few hours, it is also prescribed in an extended-release tablet format that is only taken once a day by prescription.

This extended-release tablet is meant for severe, continuous pain when you have become tolerant to other opioids to the point that they don’t provide pain relief for you. The best practice is that Dilaudid is not prescribed unless a doctor has exhausted all safer, less potent possibilities.

Have you started taking Dilaudid—whether by a prescription or not—and now find yourself unable to stop using it? Maybe it’s starting to cause problems in your life. If you think you or a family member might have an opioid use disorder, which includes substance abuse and addiction, treatment can help you stop the downhill path of addiction and give you more control over your life again.

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Dilaudid

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Dilaudid and Addiction

When you start taking it, Dilaudid has effects on the mind and body. Like other opioids, it tells your brain to release the brain chemical dopamine, which affects pleasure, reward and other processes. The drug also connects itself to receptors you have in your GI tract and central nervous system. These actions help it control the pain you’re feeling, yet they can also lead to dependency and addiction.

Dilaudid is highly addictive. Since your body is already tolerant to the effects of opioids when you take it, it only increases your risk of moving farther on the path of dependency by giving you a stronger option at a higher dose. It’s possible for you to become addicted when following the prescription as well as when you take it illicitly.

The problem is that when you take an opioid in high doses or for long periods, your body adapts to the drug and gets used to functioning with it. Your brain might even stop stimulating its own dopamine release, which is a normal and important process within your body. Instead, it comes to rely on the opioid to tell it when to release more, and the dopamine tends to be released in higher levels than it normally would. This pattern makes you dependent on getting more of the drug and can result in withdrawal symptoms when your body is adjusting to functioning without the drug again.

Your risk of dependency and addiction can be increased by certain factors, such as a mental health disorder or a history of substance abuse.

Dilaudid tends to cause symptoms of withdrawal when you stop taking it suddenly. Even when you are under a doctor’s orders, your doctor will generally wean you off the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms, especially if you had been prescribed a high dose. If you go through withdrawal symptoms, you’ll likely experience a mix of physical and mental effects that can include irritability, vomiting and muscle pain.

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800-270-4315

Dilaudid

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Treatment for Dilaudid Addiction

No matter how far along you are on the path of opioid addiction, there is hope for you. It’s possible to overcome an addiction and begin a new life that is free of a substance’s control over your life. Professional treatment can guide you forward on a healthier path and make the transition easier and more effective.

Before you enter rehab treatment, a detox program can make it easier and more comfortable to stop taking the drug and get past any withdrawal symptoms you might experience. In some cases, you would taper off the medication to make the process safer with fewer withdrawal symptoms. In other cases, you might take medication to manage symptoms. In all cases, a detox program takes away your access to substances while providing medical monitoring, making it easier to quit without going back to the drug.

The rehab process can begin when you have the drug out of your system. At this point, you can work through any factors in your life that make you prone to addiction, including co-occurring substance use or mental health disorders. You can also learn ways to live without turning to addictive substances. For instance, you can learn healthy coping skills and ways to manage cravings.

At Transformations Treatment Center, we offer the type of treatment you would need for a Dilaudid addiction. At the same time, we individualize our programs so you get the right fit to support your unique needs. If needed, we can offer you a detox program through our facility Summit Detox. We also offer a variety of rehab treatment programs, depending on your situation. Our options include different levels and tracks within our partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient or outpatient programs. At the end of your treatment, we provide aftercare to ensure you’re still connected and supported on your journey to recovery.

Treatment can help you turn your life into a healthier one that’s not controlled by addiction. For more information on how our Transformations Treatment Center programs can help, contact us today.